Whitney Stephen Wins the 2015 Bass Pro Shop BASS Northern Open on Lake Erie!

Wild Last Day Spins Leaderboard.

By Craig Lamb

bass press release 

SANDUSKY, Ohio — Whitney Stephens’ tournament winning edge came not from a secret lure but a widely used electronic gadget rigged on the front deck of his boat. Knowing how to use it well paid at the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Northern Open presented by Allstate. 

A win & Classic bound!
(Photo: BASS)

Stephens, of Waverly, Ohio, won after three days with a final weight of 65 pounds, 1 ounce. He fished consistently all week, beginning in fifth place and moving to third on Friday. Jeff Lugar of Virginia took second place with 64-8, followed by third-place finisher Jason Root with 64-7. 

Stephens relied on his bow-mounted fish finder to pinpoint the location of smallmouth bass holding on isolated rockpiles. Those ranged in depth from the bottom at 28 to 23 feet on the peaks of underwater ridges. The rocks created a buffer of calm water for the bass until baitfish swept by in the current. 

“I found the baitfish first and the bass were nearby,” he said. “It would have been nearly impossible to find them without the fish finder.”

The electronics proved invaluable due to constantly shifting winds. The direction and velocity shifted each day, causing the bass to relocate their precise position on the rocks.  

“It was like starting over every day because the wind made the current shift and reposition the bass," he added.

2015 Bass Pro Shop BASS Northern Open Lake Erie Day 2: Derek Remitz Leads with 46lbs!

Persistence Paying off for Leaders.

By Craig Lamb

bass press release

SANDUSKY, Ohio — While some anglers would give up and move on to find new water, Derek Remitz knew better. He remained persistent, fine tuning what worked Thursday until it finally clicked today. As a result he leads the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Northern Open presented by Allstate.

Remitz reaps another big bag.
(Photo BASS)

Remitz, of Grant, Ala., caught a 5-bass limit weighing 22 pounds, 6 ounces. Added to his Thursday score the total weight is 46 pounds, 10 ounces.

Remitz lost at boat side what was a crucial 4-pound smallmouth about 10:30 a.m. Until then his livewell was empty. After regaining composure his renewed concentration paid off during a feeding flurry when he added four bass to his catch. Even then he didn’t leave. Staying resulted in another late afternoon feeding frenzy that sealed the lead.

“I got a late start but knew the bass were still in the area,” he said. “The biggest key is the wind, which is blowing so I can make controlled drifts across the best habitat.”

Ironically, the wind blew again from the northeast, although its predicted shift on Saturday could require making significant adjustments.

2015 Rayovac FLW Series Northern Division Lake Erie Day 2: Rhode and Lefebre Bagging Big Ones!

Cory Johnston Vaults Forward in AOY!
by David A. Brown

FLW PRESS RELEASE

Lefebre (l) and Rhode (r) are tied for the lead.
(Photo: FLW)

FLW Tour pro Dave Lefebre added 22 pounds, 3 ounces to the 21-6 he caught yesterday and tied day-one leader Jared Rhode – who’s catch slipped from 23-10 on day one to 19-15 today – also tallied 43-9 on day two of the the Rayovac FLW Series Northern Division event on Lake Erie.

Day two brought south winds and calm water, which allowed anglers to run around more and fish their spots more efficiently. The standings reflect these benefits with nine pros breaking 20 pounds, three of which also caught 20-plus on day one.

Here’s how the top two pros fared.

Lefebre strikes early

The pro from Erie, Pa., looked at multiple stops today, but his first — a closely guarded honey hole — gave him all he needed.

“I went to the same place I fished yesterday and caught those five real quick and I only culled one time the rest of the day,” Lefebre says. “I’m letting them breathe. It’s a good spot and it’s loaded.”

Today’s performance, Lefebre reports was more a testament to consistency.

“I didn’t have the kickers today, I just had a better average,” he says. “I had two 5-pounders yesterday, but today I didn’t even have a 5-pounder. I thought I had a little bit less, so I was pleasantly surprised.”